Hurricane Ian and other factors leave SWFL scrambling to capitalize on tourism

Author: David Dorsey, Gulfshore Business
Published: Updated:
Damage from Hurricane Ian can be seen on the pier in Naples on January 13, 2023. Photo by Darron R. Silva for the Naples Press

Tourist season wasn’t supposed to be this way.

Coming off a record-setting year for air traffic flowing into both Southwest Florida International Airport and Punta Gorda Airport, plus a record-setting year for generating tourist tax revenue in Lee County, 2023 seemed poised to break those records again.

The country had largely relearned how to live under the backdrop of COVID-19, and by many metrics tourism had exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

The Boston Red Sox were supposed to get back on track with their first uninterrupted and normal spring training season since 2019. They were hoping to renew their sellout streak at the Fenway South complex. The Minnesota Twins were supposed to pack their own stands across town at Hammond Stadium.

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